Well casing protector



July 10, 1934. wl w. WILLIAMS WELL CASING PROTECTOR v Filed April 9,1928 Patented July 10, 1934 Unirse STABS PATENT OFFICE WELL CASINGPROTECTOR Application April 9, 1928, Serial No. 268,746

18 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for use in connection with oil wells,and is more particularly a protector or guard element adapted to beplaced upon a drill string for the purpose of protecting the casing andthe drill string from undue wear resulting from engagement therebetween.

It is a well known fact among those familiar with the art to which thisinvention relates that oil wells or wells of any nature, due to thevariations in the formations through which they penetrate, do not followa vertical course, but have a tendency to deviate from the vertical,making many curves and irregularities' in the path which the casingfollows. Due to this fact, the drill string which operates within thecasing is necessarily brought into engagement with the inner surface ofthe casing at various irregular points, and due to its constant rotationand oscillation thereagainst has a tendency to wear and weaken thecasing, in many cases resulting in the perforation or collapse of thecasing at these points.

I am aware of the fact that various types of protectors and guides havebeen developed for the purpose of obviating the wear between theseelements, and this particular invention relates to an improved protectorfor this purpose.

It is a principal object of this invention to develop a casing protectorof the class herein described. which is of a non-metallic substance.preferably rubber, provided with metal reinforcements, and is formed ina manner which renders the same adaptable to a rapid placement upon thedrill string at any desired point.

It is a Vfurther object of this inventionto provide a protectingcollarwith clamping means having a wedge action, such action beingeffective to hold the collar in rigid engagement with the casing in theposition at which it is originally placed.

1t is well known to those familiar with the art that the ordinaryprotector of this type depends upon engagement with the drill stringcollars or connecting joints to prevent its lateral movement upon thedrill string. Such a form obviously has a tendency to slide upon thedrill string and to permit the string to engage the casing at the pointat which protection is most needed.

Other objects and advantageous structural features of my invention,including a novel type of reinforcement and various forms of wedgeclamps, will be better understood from the following description of theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view, showing partof an oil well containing a casing and drill string and illustrating oneembodiment of my invention as being mounted upon the drill string.

Fig. 2 is a plan View, showing one embodiment oi my invention.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View, partly broken away, corresponding to theform of my invention shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 may be considered as a plan view, showing a developed reinforcingmember, such as is used in the form of my invention shown in Figs.

2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View, taken substantially along the line 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 isa partial elevational section, taken 70 substantially asindicated by the arrow 6 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a plan view, similar to the view shown in Fig. 1, butillustrating a modied form of clamping mechanism.

Fig. 8 is an elevational View, partly broken away,V showing theembodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 7. Y

Fig. 9 is a partial planV section, enlarged, of the clamping mechanismshown in Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a plan View illustrating a second modified form of myinvention.

Referring to the above designated drawing, in which similar parts areindicated by the same reference numeral, and more particularlydescribing my invention as herein illustrated, reference numeral 11indicates a Well casing contained within a Well indicated at 12. A drillstring 13 is illustrated as being suspended within the casing ll, andhas casing protecting collars 14 mounted thereon. The casing protectingcollars 14 are illustrated in detail in Figs. 2 to v6, inclusive, ascomprising two semi-cylindrical segments 15 and 15', which arepreferably composed of rubber which is moulded about reinforcingsegments 16 and 16', the outer ends of these segments 16 and 16' beingprovided with tapered dove-tail clamping ngers or loops indicated at 17and 17', such loops being provided with alaterally extending passageadapted to receive a cooperatively tapered pin y18.

It will be understood that the insertion of the pin 18 into thedove-tail clamping organization tends to draw the two sections 16 and 16toward one another, and it serves to effect a positive engagementbetween an inner surface of the collar and the outer surface of thedrill string. This is an important feature in the invention, in that thecollars may be positively placed in any position upon the drill string,thus preventing a slip- 1.10

ping of the collar from the place in which it is most needed andpermitting the placement of the collars in a position upon the drillstring which may be of decreased diameter due to a drawing actionresulting from the great weight of drill string below such point atwhich the collar may be placed.

In order that the pins 18 may be easily placed in position and may bereadily removed without burring the lower end thereof, the upper end ofthe pin is provided with a flanged or overlapping head 19, beneath whicha chisel or other suitable engaging instrument may be placed for forcingthe pin from the clamp.

It will be understood that the reinforcing members used in thisinvention may be of any desired form, a preferred construction beingillustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. In this form of reinforcement, the membermay be stamped or otherwise cut from a single metal sheet, and aplurality of extending tongues 21 are cut and stamped therefrom to giveadded strength to the member after the rubber has been moulded thereon,as will be apparent from the dotted line position which these tonguestake when the plate is bent to the semi-cylindrical form, as shown in 2.

The dove-tailed clamping organization is illustrated as being formed bystamping the coopv erative projections indicated at 22, and bendingthese projections back upon the metal, as indicated at 23 in Fig. 5,fastening the inner ends in any preferred manner, such as by means ofspot welding.

The form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 is the same inprinciple and construction as that described above in connection withFigs. 2 to 6, inclusive, with the exception of the clamping mechanism,which comprises oppositely formed and tapered fianged elements indicatedat 25 and 25 on the reinforcing members 15a and 16a of the non-metallicsegments 15a and 15rd; These elements are adapted to receivecorrespondingly anged projections 26 and 26 upon a fiat wedge plate 27,as is perhaps best illustrated in Fig. 9.

The upper end of the plate 27 is provided with a substantially solidhead member 28 or cross plate, by means of which the plate may beremoved for an unclamping of the collar by driving a chisel or othersuitable instrument against a lower surface 29 thereof.

In the two forms of my invention described above, it will be understoodthat the collars are to be made in two separate semi-cylindricalsegments, and in the third advantageous form of the inventionillustrated in Fig. 10, the collar is adapted to be made in the singlesegment 29. The reinforcing elements 30 and 31 are adapted to be hingedat one intersecting point 33, the hinge being in the form of a dove-tailclamping joint similar to that described in connection with Figs. 2 and3, except that the passage between the elements thereof is substantiallycylindrical rathery than wedge-shaped, and the pin 34 is round and maybe moulded within the rubber of the collar at the time the element isformed. In order that this form of collar may be easily expanded oropened for its placement upon a drill string, a V-shaped slot indicatedat 35 may be out from the rubber or the collar may be moulded with thisslot formed therein.

The clamp 36 used'in this form of the invention may be of either of theabove described forms, but is illustrated as comprising a wedge pin anddove-tail clamping mechanism, such as is described in connection withFigs. 2 to 6, inclusive.

As has been previously pointed out, this casing protector has theadvantage of being adaptable to placement at any point upon the drillstring and will remain in positive engagement with the drill string inthe position in which it is originally placed.

While I have herein described and illustrated various forms in whichthis invention may be constructed for effecting the heretofore statedobjects, it will be understod that it is not limited to the preciseconstruction set forth, but includes any changes which might fairly comewi.hin the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claimas my invention:

l. A casing` protector comprising: an internally reinforcednon-'netallic split collar adapted to surround a drill string andprovided with wedge clamping means extending along the split in saidcollar for retaining said collar upon said drill string.

2. A casing protector comprising: an internally reinforced non-metallicsplit collar adapted to surround a drill string and provided with wedgeclamping means extending along the split in said collar for retainingsaid collar upon said drill string, said collar being reinforced withmetal segments.

3. A casing protector comprising: an internally reinforced non-metalliccollar adapted to surround a drill string and provided with wedgeclamping means adapted to retain said collar upon said drill string,said collar being reinforced with metal segments provided withprojecting tongues.

4. A casing protector comprising: an internally reinforced non-metalliccollar adapted to surround a drill string and provided with wedgeclamping means adapted to retain said collar upon said drill string,said collar being reinforced with metal segments provided withprojecting tongues, said collar being formed of rubber and said segmentsbeing moulded within said rubber.

5. A casing protector comprising: an internally reinforced non-metalliccollar adapted to surround a drill string and provided with wedgeclamping means adapted to retain said collar upon said drill string,said collar being reinforced with metal segments, and said clampingmeans being included in said reinforcing members.

6. A casing protector comprising: an internally reinforced non-metalliccollar adapted to Surround a drill string and provided with Wedgeclamping means adapted to retain said collar upon said drill string,said collar being reinforced with metal segments having cooperatingdovetail fingers outwardly formed thereon, said fingers being adapted toreceive a tapered pin.

7. A casing protector comprising: an internally reinforced non-metalliccollar adapted to surround a drill string and provided with wedgeclamping means adapted to retain said collar upon said drill string,said collar being reinforced with metal segments having cooperatingdovetail fingers outwardly formed thereon, said iingers being adapted toreceive a tapered pin and a tapered pin extending through said ngers.

8. A casing protector, adapted to be mounted upon a drill string,comprising: internally reinforced non-metallic segments and meansintegral with the reinforcements in said segments for clamping saidprotector upon said drill string.

9. A casing protector, adapted to be mounted upon a drill string,comprising: non-metallic segments; cooperative dove-tail clamping meansoppositely mounted on said segments, said clamping means comprisingfingers provided with a tapered passage adapted to receive a taperedpin. 10. A casing protector, adapted to be mounted upon a drill string,comprising: non-metallic segments; cooperative dove-tail clamping meansoppositely mounted on said segments, said clamping means comprisingfingers provided with a tapered passage adapted to receive a wedgeshaped pin, and a wedge-shaped pin extending through said passage, saidpin being provided with means for removing same from said passage. 11.As a new article of manufacture, a friction ring for drill pipescomprising a split ring formed of flexible material, means for securingthe ends of said split ring to each other, and a flexible reinforcingmember imbedded in the body of said ring and extending throughout thelength thereof. 12. As a new article of manufacture, a friction ring fordrill pipes comprising a split ring formed of flexible material, meansfor securing the ends of said split ring to each other, a flexiblereinforcing member imbedded in the body of said ring and extendingthroughout the length thereof, and the ends of said reinforcing memberbeing connected to the securing means in the ends of said rmg.

13. As a new article of manufacture, a friction ring for drill pipecomprising a one piece split ring formed of flexible material, and meansfor securing the ends of said split ring to each other.

14. A combination with a drill pipe provided with the usual jointmembers of a one piece split ring formed of exible wear resistingmaterial,

which ring is positioned on the drill pipe below the joint memberstherein, and means for fastening the lends of said split ring to eachother.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a wear preventer for drill pipecomprising: a split ring formed of resilient material; reinforcing meansembedded in said split ring, throughout the circumference thereof; andsecuring means for securing said split ring on a plpe.

16. As a new article of manufacture, a wear preventer for drill pipecomprising: a split ring formed of resilient material; reinforcing meansembedded in said split ring, and extended throughout the circumferencethereof; and securing means for securing together the ends of saidreinforcing means, so as to secure said split ring in annular shape.

17. As a new article of manufacture, a wear preventer for drill pipecomprising: a split ring formed of resilient material; reinforcing meansembedded in said split ring, and extended throughout the circumferencethereof, said reinforcing means including a pair of reinforcing membershinged together; and securing means for securing said split ring on apipe.

18. As a new article of manufacture, a wear preventer for drill pipecomprising: a split ring formed of resilient material; reinforcing meansembedded in said split ring, and extended throughout the circumferencethereof, said reinforcing means including a pair of rigid arcuatemembers hinged together; and securing means for securing said split ringon a pipe.

W'ILLIS WAUGH WILLIAMS.

and extended

